How do I apply for a Schengen Visa?

**Admin** · 12-24-2014, 12:50 PM

How do I apply for a Schengen Visa?

First and foremost, one has to download the application form and fill it in cautiously and honestly. The application form has the same format no matter which country’s visa it is that the applicant is applying for.
Bear in mind that:

One shall download the latest form of the application since that is the only form accepted.
The application form can be filled in either by handwriting or by typing into it. The applicant has to sign the form in the corresponding gaps.
Careful not to leave any columns blank. If the applicant feels that there are columns that don’t correspond to his/her matter, fill them with NA (No Answer)
If the applicant is a minor, the parents have to submit a written consent and also sign in the corresponding column of the application form
In case the applicant is filling the form by hand, using black color is recommended.

Where should the applicant apply?

It is true that once issued a Schengen visa, one is eligible to travel within the whole Schengen zone being that the visa Schengen bureaucracy is the same in every Schengen country, however there are some predetermined rules and regulations due to where/which embassy/consulate must the applicant apply in for a Schegen visa in order to be traveling to their desired Schengen destination.
In cases where the applicant will be traveling to one and only one Schengen country, the applicant has to apply at the appropriate embassy/consulate of the certain country. Whereas if the applicant is planning to visit two or more Schengen countries, it is highly recommended to be applying for the visa in the embassy/consulate of the country you will be residing in for most of the traveling days, referred to as the main destination. In case there is no main destination but just a random visit to several Schengen countries, the applicant has to apply for the visa in the embassy/consulate on the first Schengen country he/she will enter according to the itinerary.
Once it’s determined in which embassy/consulate one will apply in, the applicant will apply in the embassy/consulate of that country that has jurisdiction of over at your place of residence.
When is it that one has to apply?

Unfortunately there is no fixed answer to this particular question due to different time-frame policies of the embassies/consulates in different parts of the world. Nevertheless it’s highly recommended to apply for a Schengen visa around six weeks prior to ones departure, in order to make your trip as planned.
Although it takes no more than 72 hours for processing a visa in general, there are times when this process takes quite much longer, for 14 up to 21 days in some countries concerning some citizens.
In some embassies you are able to walk in at any time and submit the documentation meanwhile in some other you MUST make an appointment prior. If you are planning to travel on a short term, the appointment must be made no more than 6 weeks in advance. This rule doesn’t apply to the applicants who are applying for a long-term visa.
What happens if there is no embassy/consulate of the certain Schengen country in the applicant’s place of residence?

In some third world countries there might not be an embassy/consulate of the particular Schengen country you need the visa issued from. Nevertheless, that doesn’t pose any problems since in these cases there are embassy/consulate representatives of the country that represents the interests of the country in the matter as well as their own which are responsible to issue the applicant the required visa.
In case the applicant is denied the visa due to inability to provide the necessary documentation or proof that he/she meets the standards to be traveling in a Schengen zone there is a possibility to apply again at the embassy/consulate of their desired destination in a neighboring country.
Can I apply for a Schengen visa in a country where I am not a resident?

Yes. If you must apply for a Schengen visa in a country where you are not a resident, the justification why you are applying from that country will suffice.
The applicant must attend the designated meeting in person when handing the application form and the attached documentation. At the consulate, the applicant shall not be accompanied unless he/she is a minor, of sensitive health or not able to perform any locomotive activity. In case the applicant is not able to speak English or the language of the Schengen country whose consulate he/she is applying in company is recommended.
If you fail to attend the embassy/consulate appointment without a prior notice of 48 hours the request will be cancelled and you will have to undergo the procedure once again.
Beware!

Although the applicant submits all the required documentation and proof the consulate/embassy has the authority to deny him/her the visa since there is no right to a Schengen visa whatsoever. The magnitude of the documentation will assure the applicant that the request is accepted and will be preceded yet it’s never a guarantee to an issued Schengen visa. Regarding this matter it’s highly recommended not to make non refundable travel arrangement prior to getting the visa.
What do I do if I urge to extend the Schengen visa?

In case of any trustworthy reasons, personal, occupational, medical or otherwise, the applicant has to turn to the corresponding institutions in the Schengen country of residence and apply for an extension of the Schengen visa. The extended Schengen visa will give the applicant the right to visit the same Schengen territory as the original visa issued. A visa extension may not result in duration of stay exceeding 90 days.